The Final Word by Jim Thompson


Here in North America, this winter has been devastating to the pulp and paper industry. Business is good in many grades, but nature is not cooperating. I was in Dallas this past week, a place that normally has mild winters. For two weeks in a row, including the time I was there, freezing rain, snow, and astonishingly low temperatures (for the location) were recorded.
 
For us old timers, it harkens back to Christmas 1983, when nearly every mill in the south froze up. That was the winter that precipitated mills negotiating out cold Christmas outages the next time union contracts came up for renewal. It is ironic, business is good in packaging and tissue especially, but making and transporting product has been taking a huge hit. Hopefully spring will come soon.